


let it rain, you and i remain the same

by monsterleadmehome



Series: Smutty Reylo Oneshots [31]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, First Time, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Visions, Loss of Virginity, Post-Canon, So suck it JJ, Sort of a LOST AU, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:20:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23149153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monsterleadmehome/pseuds/monsterleadmehome
Summary: After Exegol, Rey and Ben escape together in separate ships and crash land on an island on a mostly water planet. They end up on opposite sides of the island and have to communicate via their bond to make their way back to each other. But this island is no ordinary island and offers obstacles of its own. Is their budding relationship strong enough to ride out the impending storm?
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Smutty Reylo Oneshots [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1519934
Comments: 17
Kudos: 136
Collections: Reylo Charity Anthology: Volume 2





	let it rain, you and i remain the same

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this was my entry for the Reylo Charity Anthology! I was very honored to be a part of it. The title is taken from the song, "The Bones" by Maren Morris featuring Hozier. Of course, because I am extra, I made a playlist for this one shot, which you can find [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6fY7FDNVPDdqaaRQO3l9hM?si=zWDLvrBoTt6dxSj-pbv8Eg).
> 
> Thanks to my beta, [obsessivepropulsive](https://twitter.com/obsessivepro).

Rey takes her first heaving breath. Wherever she had just been, she was no longer there. No longer cold. No longer alone. Instead, all she knows is that she’s in the arms of the man she loves, and he’s looking at her like she is the entire universe.

“Ben?”

She searches his face, and he searches hers, and together they see everything they need to know. He is patient with her—always has been. She knows he is waiting for her to do something, say something.

So she kisses him. 

It’s tentative at first, not really knowing what she’s doing. But his lips are soft, and he lets out a soft gasp as he pulls her in tightly. This—this is what she’s been waiting for. She melts into it, losing all track of time. They pull back, and she smiles. She doesn’t have to be alone ever again.

She has Ben now.

He smiles, too, and it’s beatific. Glorious. Radiant. She’s never seen a smile like his before… and it’s just for her. _Everything is going to be okay_ , she thinks.

Then he loses his grip on her neck and collapses back onto the cursed stone.

“No!” Their hands are still entwined. It can’t end like this. He can’t die for her—that was never what she wanted. Rey closes her eyes and reaches out into the Force. “Be with me,” she repeats over and over, keeping her hand closed tightly around Ben’s.

Suddenly she realizes she isn’t alone and looks up to see Leia, Luke, and a young copper-haired man she doesn’t recognize. His shoulder length locks are wavy like Ben’s, but his eyes are bright blue. “Let us help,” Leia says, reaching down to touch her son’s heart.

Tears stream down Rey’s face as she watches the spirits of Ben’s family all put their hands on him and channel whatever energy they have into his body. The longer she watches, the more translucent they all appear until they fade from view completely. 

When they are gone, Ben sucks in a huge gulp of air and opens his eyes. She falls forward onto his chest with a cry. “I thought I’d lost you.”

His hand is warm on her back. “Who, me? Never.”

She laughs in relief and briefly kisses him again. Then she rests her forehead against his. “What do you say we get out of here?”

* * *

There’s a slight problem. They stand there looking at the TIE and X-Wing, both of which only seat one.

“I can’t come back with you,” he says. “They’ll never accept me.”

Her feet shift into a stubborn stance. The one that says _I’m not budging an inch thank you very much_ _._ “But you’re _Leia’s_ son.”

“Rey—the things I’ve done—”

“Are in the past,” she finishes for him. “What you just did in there with me, _for_ me—that’s what matters.”

His expression softens. She is firm, but he has a hard time believing she’d think that. “Still, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Well, I’m not going anywhere without you.” She crosses her arms. He couldn’t love her more if he tried. 

Ben sighs and rakes his hands through his hair. Curse his father for making him destined to fall for a difficult woman. “Empress,” he starts.

“Do _not_ call me that.” Her eyes are fiery for a moment and—he really shouldn’t be turned on right now. “Fine. Then we won’t go back to the Resistance.”

“What? But your friends—”

“Will be fine without me.” She steps forward and flings her arms around him. “All I want is you. Just you.”

How can he argue with that? “Send me the coordinates.”

“Okay but stay in sight. I can’t lose you again.”

Ben watches her get into the X-Wing before he boards the TIE. She sends him coordinates for the closest system that won’t have a big First Order presence, which happens to be Kril’Dor.

He shrugs and follows her into the black.

* * *

They never make it to Kril’Dor. 

Not even halfway there, Rey veers suddenly as she runs into an asteroid field that by all accounts, should not exist. “Ben!” She isn’t sure how, but she taps into their bond easily, able to relay her plan for trying to get out of the melee.

She sees him nod like he’s sitting right next to her and follows through with her evasive maneuvers. However, as she threads through a couple precarious larger asteroids, she miscalculates and collides with _something_ , sending her careening towards a blue planet to the right.

She looks out the viewport to see Ben smash into a projectile as well and take the same spinning trail after her.

Rey grips the steering mechanism, tries everything she can to lessen the damage as her ship speeds through the atmosphere, plummeting faster than she can keep up with. One of the engines is completely blasted and there’s a plume of smoke hemorrhaging from the left side of the ship.

She’s lost track of Ben, too.

It happens so fast. There’s a flash of an island, and then she’s crashing into sand. She has the presence of mind to cushion her blow with the Force. No broken bones, but her ship is in pieces. There’s a gash on her forehead, on her arm, and something lodged in her upper thigh.

But she is alive. And, she realizes as the wave breaks on the shore, she’s a bit wet. She rolls over onto her knees and pushes herself up on shaky legs, taking in her surroundings.

The beach is quite beautiful. Green palm trees sway in a balmy breeze. The shoreline goes on forever. She limps forward, away from the hopeless X-wing, which will never fly again. The piece of metal in her upper thigh isn’t cutting into anything crucial, so she grits her teeth and pulls it out. Then she concentrates as she uses the Force to heal it shut.

 _There, much better._ She closes her eyes and tries to find Ben. But there’s no answer on the other side of the bond. She shields her eyes from the bright sun and looks for any evidence of him. The only thing she can see is a faint plume of smoke in the distance—on the other side of the island. It’s far.

For all she knows, this is the only landmass on the planet, but it is huge. There’s no telling where he is. She starts to panic as she reaches out again. _Ben?_

* * *

“Kriff.” Ben pulls himself out of the wreckage of the TIE and flops onto the sand. 

Why did it have to be sand?

His ship is a flaming mess and there’s nothing he can do but watch it burn as he checks himself for injuries. There’s a warm trickle down the side of his face that feels like blood, but other than that, he seems to be mostly intact—with a few new holes in his shirt.

“Rey!” he yells for a moment, but her ship is nowhere to be seen.

He scans the horizon and the treeline. This island is huge, and the sea it’s settled in is also vast—he can’t see anything but water for miles. He takes a deep breath and centers himself in the Force, which is when he hears it.

_Ben?_

_I’m here. Where are you?_

_Not sure, but I’m alive._

_Thank the Force._

He grabs what he can out of the ship before he abandons it completely. He has Luke’s old saber—Anakin’s before that—and a couple days worth of emergency rations. Then he watches as it burns, the hull bending into itself.

At least Rey is alive and safe. They can figure this out somehow. He will see her again.

A mysterious energy inhabits the forest. He can feel it the further he walks up the shore. This place is strange, to say the least. It’s also big. He barely saw it before crashing, but it’s definitely a large land mass—and Rey could be anywhere.

He takes a deep breath. _Don’t panic_ _._ That’s when he feels the atmosphere shift and everything goes still.

* * *

Rey finishes trudging up the beach to where the sand becomes more compact and eventually turns to darker soil just on the edge of the forest. She finds a large rock and plops down to remove her boots and shake the sand out.

She really doesn’t miss living in a desert.

Then the energy shifts around her, and she hears the telltale sound of the bond opening. “Ben,” she breathes. “Where are we?”

He’s standing, though she can’t see his surroundings. “I’m not sure… I think I read about this area once, an old species inhabited this whole system, very secretive. There doesn’t seem to be any sentient beings here, though.”

“At least not yet.”

He makes a face that reminds her of Han and suddenly she realizes, maybe she doesn’t know this Ben Solo as well as she thought. His soul—that she knows intimately—but the rest of him? Maybe not so much. He turns to the left, looking at something. “This place is so big.”

“I know. I saw the plume of smoke from your ship, I think. If that’s what it was, you might be on the other side of the island from me.”

He frowns. “I _will_ find you, Rey.”

She pulls her boots back on and stands. “We’ll find each other. We always do.” She is about to reach for his hand when the bond closes, and she’s left alone again.

She checks her bag—Leia’s lightsaber, several rations, and a canteen for gathering water are all the items she has. She looks to the forest as an ominous tingle creeps down her spine. The beach may span the whole island, but it would take forever to walk around. The shortest way to Ben is through.

She takes a deep breath and ventures in.

* * *

It has only been a few days since Ben last heard voices in his head. With Palpatine dead, he thought he was finally free. So when the whispers start up, it is especially startling. He was just starting to enjoy the quiet.

The forest is thick, only small shafts of light breaking through the overgrown branches. He hasn’t felt this small in a long time. He whips around every few minutes, looking for the source of the strange murmuring he hears—but there’s nothing there.

If he’s not careful, this place could drive him mad.

He closes his eyes and refocuses. _Rey_. The only thing that matters is getting to Rey. He considers trying to reach out to her, but she’s probably dealing with her own obstacles at the moment. The faster he moves through the interior of the island, the faster he’ll get to her.

“My boy,” the modulated voice croons through the trees.

Ben turns and sees the image of Darth Vader, tall and intimidating, brandishing his red lightsaber as he slices through the vines to get to him. “You—you’re dead.”

“Am I? What happened to finishing what I started? Look how far you’ve fallen.”

“No, I was wrong. It wasn’t the power I wanted.”

“No, I suppose not.” He extinguishes the blade. “It was the girl.”

“Leave her out of this.”

“But how can I? You forsook my legacy for her.”

“Anakin Skywalker’s legacy was trying to save the people he loved. You might say I triumphed where he failed.”

“Impressive,” the figure states, now almost close enough to touch. Then, as suddenly as he appeared, he vanishes before Ben’s eyes.

He collapses against a nearby tree for a moment, taking in large gulps of air. What the _fuck_ is this island?

* * *

There is water somewhere nearby—Rey can hear it trickling, and it’s becoming increasingly louder. Maybe if she can find the stream, she can follow it through the center of the island. The vines overhead are thick and she occasionally takes out the lightsaber to cut them down. It’s technically hers now, though it doesn’t feel it. Maybe one day she’ll be able to make her own, one that doesn’t have the feeling of a borrowed legacy.

 _Think of Ben_ _,_ she tells herself. The sooner she can get to him, the sooner they can leave this Force-forsaken place.

She follows the sound of water for what feels like hours until at last, she can see the edge of a stream up ahead. She runs full throttle and is nearly decapitated by a red saber that flings out from behind the trees.

She ignites her blue one just in time and clashes with the red. It’s her—the other version of her she saw in the bowels of the old Death Star. 

“You really fucked things over for us, didn’t you?” She bares her unnaturally sharp teeth in a menacing grin. “Rescued your prince from the dark side and think you can just ride off into the sunset?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I did.” Rey doesn’t have time for this. She swings heavily at her dark alter ego.

Dark Rey parries easily, flinging the other edge of her saberstaff upwards to knock Rey back a step. “You really think he’ll be happy with you? You, the granddaughter of the most hated man in the galaxy. You, the former scavenger with nothing to offer.”

Her blue saber catches the red in a shower of sparks, and she pushes forward, teeth bared. “Ben loves me. He sacrificed himself for me.”

“But he wouldn’t have had to if you were me. You could both be ruling the galaxy right now—instead of fighting for your life on this backwater planet.” She wrestles her saber free and kicks Rey to the ground. “Think of the fun you two could’ve had.”

Suddenly, Rey is transported back to her vision of the Sith throne. The dark version of herself is there, straddling Be- _Kylo’s_ lap. Her skirts are hitched up around her thighs and she’s riding him as he kisses her neck.

Rey scrambles to her feet. “Not like that.” She’s panting, ignoring the heat coiling low in her belly. “I didn’t want him like that.”

The scene fades back into the forest around them. “Did you ask him what _he_ wants? Maybe you should,” Dark Rey says with a sinister smile before she fades away.

Rey shakes her head, turning in full circle before determining she’s actually alone again. Then she beelines for the stream, cupping her hands and bringing them to her mouth to see if it’s drinkable. It is—so she downs several handfuls before filling her canteen.

The stream has a bit of a clearing around it, and she looks up at the impossibly blue sky. It’s so bright here. She is taking another sip of water when the bond kicks in.

“So you found water.” Ben looks as if he’s been fighting. There are more holes in his shirt and he’s got scratches on his hands and face.

“Yes, have you?”

“No.” He rubs his face. “Rey, this place is kriffing weird.”

Her eyes widen. “You saw something, too?”

“Yes. It was—disturbing.” He steps closer, and it strikes Rey as funny because he’s standing in the stream without knowing it.

She laughs.

“What’s so funny?”

“You’re standing in the water.”

“Oh.” He smiles sheepishly.

“How far apart do you think we are?” She angles herself a bit closer and reaches out for his hand.

He touches her and it’s warm, like they’re together—even though they aren’t. “Don’t know… feels like parsecs.”

“I know what you mean.” Her thumb traces the side of his hand.

Then suddenly he’s gone. She’s alone again. She sighs and starts off again downstream.

* * *

Ben stares at his hand where Rey had just been touching him. He still finds it hard to believe that he’s earned the honor of her touch—that she’s chosen to give it to him. He feels torn between wanting to devour her whole and fleeing to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

She deserves so much more than him.

Still, his family sacrificed so much to see him return to the light. He’s determined not to screw this up. With a renewed sense of urgency, he plows through the jungle, igniting his saber to slash through all the undergrowth.

When the whispers start again, he runs. He runs so hard and fast and long he almost doesn’t notice the ravine in front of him. He skids to a halt just in time to avoid falling over the edge. It isn’t terribly wide, but it is deep. 

Ben looks around and finds a coil of vines wrapped around a thick tree. If he can unwind it, maybe he can use the vine to swing across the chasm. He stretches out his hand, using the Force to slowly unwrap the vines, like a snake slithering across the bark. 

Once he has it anchored to the branch, he tests the tension, leaning all of his body weight onto the length of it. It holds. He takes a running leap and swings out over the ravine, letting go when he knows he has enough velocity to make it to the other side.

As it is, he’s just a bit short and needs a little push from the Force to balance safely on the opposite edge. His toes grip the inside of his boots as if to hold on while his arms flail until he’s steady. _That was close_ _._ The adrenaline has heightened his senses, and he can now hear water babbling somewhere in the distance. _Rey_ _._

He takes off in that direction without a glance back to the chasm.

* * *

Night falls all too quickly, and Rey wonders what the day cycle on this planet is. As it grows darker, more and more stars fill the night sky—a shiny purple and green nebula takes up a good portion of it as well. It really is beautiful. 

She wanders along the bank of the stream a little longer until finding a sturdy-looking tree with a nook that seems comfortable enough to rest in. She sits down and looks up at the stars. A soft hooting from the canopy above alerts her to the presence of some kind of life. A bird, most likely.

She finds it odd this is the first wildlife she’s noticed.

For once, Rey _isn’t_ famished, so she decides against breaking into her rations. Who knows how long she’ll have to be on this planet. Instead, she hums to herself and thinks again about how soft Ben’s lips are. When she gets her hands on him again, she’s never letting go.

In fact, she’d very much like to touch him right now. Now that they have healed each other and come back from the dead, their bond is stronger than ever before. Rey has been thinking about how they should be able to control it better. She’s been able to call him successfully a couple times.

She closes her eyes and reaches out. _Ben—_

* * *

When he was just a boy training with Luke, Ben Solo used to stare up at the stars. He’d think of all the adventures that awaited him and his master. The excitement and the danger that lurked on those worlds far away. He’d imagine flying the Falcon like his father. The freedom of open space.

It’s been years since Ben has just been able to appreciate the view of a beautiful night sky. But here, along the edge of the stream he’d just found, he can do exactly that. He pulls off his boots, rolls up his pants, and sticks his feet into the cool water. It’s a relief after walking all day, and he smiles, treasuring the peaceful moment—no voices in his head.

Then, the only voice he still welcomes floods his mind. _Ben—_

_Rey._

He feels her tug on the link between them and lifts his eyes to see her there, seated, staring at him. There is a heat in her eyes he hasn’t seen before. It excites him.

“It worked,” she marvels.

He smirks. “It did.”

“I wanted to see you.”

He waves his hand. “No complaints here.”

She looks at his position with a questioning glance. “Did you find the stream?”

“I did. I’ve been moving against the current.”

“Great. We should run into each other soon enough then.” She brightens a little.

“Why did you want to see me?”

“I wanted—” she pauses as she scoots forward a little and stretches out her hand. “I wanted to touch you.”

He lets her come to him, closes his eyes as her hand strokes his cheek. Every time she touches him, it’s like absolution. He can forget who he’s been, what he’s done. He intends to let her keep touching him as long she wants. 

“You are mine, Ben Solo. As I am yours.” He doesn’t see her lean in, but he can smell her—citrus and earth—as she covers his lips with her own.

He pulls her tightly to himself and deepens the kiss. He hadn’t been able to taste her enough before, the moment cut short by his dumb plan to give up his life force. She is incredible, somehow delicate and fierce at the same time. He’d die a thousand deaths for her. 

She bites his lower lip slightly before pulling back. “Yeah, something like that.” Her laugh is infectious. 

“Why am I here, Rey? How did it happen?”

She shrugs. “I asked for help and they came. Your family—Luke, Leia, another man I didn’t recognize.” She describes the man, and he realizes it was Anakin.

His mouth hardens into a line. “Funny that they came when you asked, but when I was there trying to bring you back, no one came to my aid.”

She frowns. “No one came?”

“Not a single soul. That’s why I gave you _all_ of my life force.”

“Maybe I should have a talk with them.”

“I don’t know if it works like that. Who knows if we’ll see them again.”

“Ben—”

He ignores her and looks up. “See that bright red star up there?”

She follows his gaze. “Yes.”

“It’s already dead. The light we’re seeing here has traveled several million parsecs to our eyes. Once a star looks like that, it’s already gone.”

He can feel her sadness through the bond. “That’s not us. We’re not going to just burn out.”

“Maybe you should’ve let me die on Exegol.”

Now he feels her flare of anger. “How can you say that?!”

“My own family never wanted me, Rey. I’ve never been valuable to anyone. Why do _you_ want me?”

The Force works in mysterious ways, though, because the bond closes before she can answer. He sighs and flops down onto the sandy riverbank. What is the point of anything?

* * *

Rey stares at the spot where he’d just been. Her heart beats rapidly and her nostrils flare, as full of rage as she is. How dare he question why she wants him here. Why he had to live. Doesn’t he know how much she loves him?

No. He doesn’t know. He thinks himself unworthy of love. She’s going to have to prove to him otherwise. She should probably also tell him how she feels. Rey’s never had to verbalize her emotions much before—she’s always been a big believer in actions speaking louder than words.

But Ben needs the words, she thinks.

The thing is, she wants to tell him in person. So she can follow it up with actions. Some very specific actions she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about since their kiss. She leans against the tree again and looks up through the branches to all the points of light in the sky. Eventually she falls asleep.

When she wakes, with sunlight streaming in her eyes, there are a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. She shifts in the embrace, still nestled against the tree, to see Ben’s slumbering form next to her. She knows it’s just the bond and that he could be gone at any moment—but she doesn’t care right now. She snuggles herself closer to him, burying her head in his chest and breathing in his rich, earthy scent.

“Rey,” he mumbles against her hairline as he places a kiss there.

“Mm, go back to sleep,” she whispers, rubbing soft circles on his chest.

“Can’t. Need to find you today.”

She blinks and looks up at him. He’s even more vulnerable looking when he’s sleepy, his ochre eyes squinting in the morning light. She wants to trace all his moles with her tongue. “You will.”

“I don’t know, Rey. I think this island is trying to kill me.”

She leans up and whispers against his lips, “It will have to go through me first.” Then she kisses him until the bond closes, and he’s gone again.

* * *

He shouldn’t still be surprised by Rey’s utter fierceness—and her willingness to defy every cynical narrative—but somehow, he is. It’s part of why he fell in love with her, after all. Back when she was just a scavenger and he was just a lackey, she crawled into his mind and never left.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

But Ben is concerned about what powers this island possesses. What kind of energy could cause the vision he had? And the whispers that he still hears coming from the forest—they are quieter now that he’s following the stream, but he still feels eerie any time he wanders too close to the treeline.

They also still haven’t talked. There’s so much he wants to say to her, to apologize for. She doesn’t seem to want to hear it. It seems Rey is more interested in the physical aspect of their relationship—which he’s not mad about. He wants to touch her just as badly. He wants to do _everything_ with her.

“Just tell her the truth, kid. Women always figure out the truth, anyway.”

Ben’s eyes water just hearing the voice. He turns to his side, where the trees loom overhead and sees him just at the edge of the forest. “Dad.”

“You know I love her, too. She’s good for you. Always knew this was bound to happen. It’s why I wasn’t scared when you took her. I knew you wouldn’t hurt her once you got to know her.”

He scoffs. “Like you could’ve known.”

“Sure, I don’t have the Force like you and your mom, but my intuition’s never let me down.”

Ben smiles a little. “Is that why you felt it such a good idea to confront me?”

“I confronted Kylo Ren. I was trying to bring _you_ home.”

“I should’ve gone with you,” he whispers. “Snoke knew—he knew I loved you the most. That’s why he ordered me to do it.”

“I know, son. I know.” He shrugs and grins, and Ben feels something bloom in his chest. It’s just another vision from this crazy island, but at least this one isn’t wielding a lightsaber. “Just don’t fuck this up, okay? I know your mom and I are both gone, but we still want grandchildren.”

For the first time in a long time, Ben laughs in the presence of his father. Then the figure disappears into the shadows. 

* * *

Rey finds a small cache of pebbles and uses the Force to levitate them beside her as she walks along the stream. Every so often, she plucks one from the bunch and skips it across the water. Finn had taught her how to do this with a pond near the base and her aim is only improving with time.

She has just tossed the last one in, watching it skip and bounce across the glassy surface of the water, leaving a multitude of ripples in its wake. Suddenly a voice from the tree line jars her out of the moment.

“Rey—”

She turns to see her mother, her hood up and sandy blonde hair peeking out—just like in her resurfaced memory. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be. We were young and scared—we didn’t know how to protect you.”

“Yeah and it shows. He still found me anyway.”

“And you destroyed him.”

“No thanks to you.”

“No, that was all you.” The woman—her mother, she reminds herself—smiles. “You were always quick to anger… and so powerful. I know you’ve built these walls up to protect yourself, but you can let them down for the right person.”

She scoffs. “I don’t need your advice with Ben.”

“Right, because everything has been going so smoothly since he saved your life.”

“I—” it would just figure that her mother would have her sarcasm. That’s probably where she got it from.

“You need to talk to him. Hash things out. He’s someone who needs to talk about his feelings.”

Rey knows this is all coming from her subconscious—the island is playing weird tricks on her. But the vision of her mom has a point. She scrunches up her nose. “I know.”

“When you love someone, you have to learn how to compromise.”

She nods, the truth of it finally sinking in. “And I guess I don’t hold it against you anym—”

But the woman is already gone.

* * *

He’s let her come to him every time. It’s like he’s afraid if he reaches out first, she’ll suddenly change her mind, realize who he is, and run away. And he wouldn’t blame her a bit for that. But—strange vision or not—his father was right. He needs to be honest with Rey. To tell her the truth and let her decide if Ben Solo is the person she really wants to chain herself to.

He pauses in his walk along the riverbank and stills himself. Takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He can feel the tether between them in much the same way he can feel the air in his lungs—it just _is_ _._ He tugs on it ever so slightly. _Rey._

When he opens his eyes, she’s there, standing within arm’s reach. Part of him wants to reach out and grab her. Pull her in his arms and never let go. But that’s not why he summoned her.

“Ben,” she breathes, all wonderstruck like she can’t believe he initiated it.

“I need to be honest with you, Rey.”

Her expression is somber. “Okay, me too.”

He’s slightly taken aback. Rey has never been anything but straightforward in her speech—though he knows she doesn’t always say everything that’s on her mind. He sucks in the swampy island air through his teeth and worries his lower lip. “The truth is—I _wanted_ to die, Rey. I was all too eager to give up my life for yours.”

She gasps and it tears something inside him. “You… why?”

He looks down at the ground, scrapes some gravel around with the toe of his boot. “I’ve never been good at this—life, anything, all of it. As a child, I was scared and tormented, as a teen I was stubborn and chaotic, and then I turned to the dark side where I became volatile and dangerous. I don’t know how to be a normal person. I thought, if I could save you— _you,_ the galaxy’s last hope—then maybe that would count for something.”

“Ben—”

“And I don’t know, I thought maybe I could give your life back to you, and you could go on to do so much more without me.”

“I LOVE YOU!”

He blinks rapidly as he looks up at her, tears streaking her perfectly tanned and freckled face. “What?”

“I love you, Ben Solo. Get that through your thick, stubborn head. A life without you in it is a life I don’t want to live.” She takes several steps forward until she’s cupping his face in her hands. “I called for help from your ancestors because I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Exegol without you.”

He doesn’t realize he’s crying till he sees her fingers moisten with his tears. “I—”

“You should accept the fact that you are important and loved. By your family and by me. Yes, you’ve made mistakes and done bad things, but you don’t get to just die and leave it all behind. You need to stay and make something new—with me. Can you do that?”

He sniffles and nods vigorously. Then she is kissing him and it’s wet—a little cold, not very sexy at all. But it’s _everything_ _._ He pulls back for air. “You know I love you, too, right? That’s the whole reason I did any of it in the first place.”

“I know,” she sputters before yanking his head back down to hers, pressing her tongue into his mouth. Everything about this woman is feral, and he couldn’t love her more for it. When she comes up for air again, she has a mischievous look in her eye. “In fact—”

She pulls him forward and takes off running down the bank of the stream. He feels a ripple in the Force, but only for a moment, like sparks igniting his body. She keeps her hand in his and they run together wordlessly for a while. Then she lets go of his hand and turns to face him. He looks around, then down at her, then behind him. “What just happened?”

Rey is beaming. “I can’t be totally sure, but I think I pulled you through to my side.”

“I—is that possible?”

She shrugs and it’s so cute, he almost finds it unbearable. Still, he takes a couple steps up and down the stream, not concentrating at all on the thread between them. She doesn’t fade from view. “Well?” she asks, hands on her hips.

He rushes towards her, picks her up, and spins around several times. “I think it worked!” As he’s setting her back down, he claims her lips—it’s the first time he’s initiated a kiss. It’s soft, sweet, and doesn’t last long, but he brushes her hair back from her face. “You never cease to amaze me.”

* * *

They walk together in silence for a long time. Ben doesn’t fade away and every time Rey looks over to see him, she smiles. She did it. She successfully pulled him _through_ the Force bond. She knows Ben’s mind is just reeling with the logistics and implications, but she couldn’t care less. 

He’s here, with her. That’s enough. 

As if on cue, just to ruin their little victory, the sky starts to darken with clouds. They’ve been surrounded by forest for a couple days now, so there would’ve been no way to tell if a storm was brewing. “Ben,” she catches his attention and nods to the sky.

The sly grin that hasn’t left his face for the past thirty minutes slowly fades. “We should find shelter.”

She’s not sure how they’ll do that, but they decide to brave the forest again—together. If nothing else, they might be able to find a hollowed out tree to take refuge in. Where before the forest was dark and slightly menacing, Rey finds it to be quite peaceful now.

“Hmm.”

She glances at Ben, who is looking around contemplatively. “What?”

He shrugs. “I heard whispers in the forest before… but they’re gone now.”

“Oh.” Rey fiddles with the fraying strap of her pack. “What do you think this place is?”

“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some kind of Force nexus here. It’s uncommon that there’s such a lack of wildlife with all this vegetation.”

She loves the way his mind works. “I heard a bird last night, I think.”

He just grunts as they keep walking.

Rey’s not sure why—and she’s not even really sure if Ben notices—but they’ve been veering off to the right for quite awhile now. As they crest over a slope in the ground, it becomes clear why.

There are stone ruins ahead. What was once a home, a palace, or possibly even a temple, now lies in chunks and pieces all around the forest floor. Vines have grown over and between the cracks giving the impression that no one has been here for a very long time.

She lets out a long, slow whistle.

“Come on,” Ben says as he takes her hand and presses onward.

As they round in on the ruins, the sky opens up and begins to pour. The winds pick up, rustling the trees and filling the air with an ominous energy. Rey lifts her hand to raise a pillar and move it back in place. “We need to work quickly.”

Ben nods, and they get to work. Wordlessly, anticipating each other’s movements through the bond, they levitate fallen pieces of the structure back in place until the shelter seems strong enough to withstand the rain. It probably wouldn’t hold during a groundquake, but it will keep them dry at least.

Once the last rock is in place, Rey looks over at him. Her eyes rake over all the new holes in his shirt and the way his back moves with his heavy breathing as he recovers from the exertion. “Ben,” she breathes as she sidles up from behind and throws her arms around him.

He instantly relaxes in her arms, releasing a haggard sigh as his hands come to cover hers on his abdomen. 

She buries her face between his shoulder blades, breathing him in, the sweaty earthiness of it all. “We’re safe now. We’re together.”

* * *

He hears the words she doesn’t say. _We have everything we need because we have each other._ How could he doubt that he belonged anywhere else but with her? This is the only thing that makes sense.

Ben turns in her arms until he’s facing her. He grazes her cheek with his knuckles, bringing his hand to her hair to tug the damp buns out and run his fingers through the strands. “I know,” he murmurs quietly before bringing his mouth to hers.

It’s different now that they’re together in the same place. He doesn’t have to worry that she’s going to disappear from his embrace at any moment. Instead, he lifts her up and places her on the nearest structure—it might’ve been a table once or an altar. The latter would be appropriate as there’s nothing more sacred to Ben than the woman currently sitting on it.

The rain outside grows more intense, thunder rumbling somewhere overhead. It doesn’t phase Rey as she moans and slides her tongue inside his mouth. Spurred on by her tenacity, he starts peeling her damp shirt up. She leans back and lifts her arms to help him.

“I’ve thought about this for so long.” Her nimbles fingers leave his body to unwrap her breast band.

“Me too.” He helps her, and when her pert little breasts are exposed, he has to take a moment to compose himself. His two hands together more than span her torso and he grazes her nipples with his thumbs. It amazes him how responsive she is to his touch as she arches into him. “You’re fucking perfect.”

She blushes. “Ben.” She tugs on his shirt, and he has to stoop to let her pull it off. When she does, her hands roam his chest. “All your scars are gone.” Her voice is full of wonder. It sends sparks down his spine.

“I hadn’t even noticed,” he says, too concerned with her skin and the ease with which his fingers glide over it. He resumes kissing her, enjoying the way she tastes, delighting in the little noises he’s able to elicit.

A flash of lightning illuminates their shelter and for a moment they pause, startled. “Please,” she urges, now wriggling on the stone.

“Please what?” he breathes into her mouth.

Her fingers are at the waistband of his trousers. “You know. You know what I want, what I’ve always wanted.”

He smirks, unable to resist teasing her. “And what’s that?”

“You, Ben. I want _you_ —preferably inside me.” She shifts her hips up to help him with her pants. He can hardly believe this is finally happening.

Her thighs are tan and supple, a small dusting of freckles there, too. Ben thinks they must be on her ass as well. He’ll see soon enough. He runs his hands down her legs and places a kiss on the arch of her foot. Then he opens her wider and kisses her inner thigh. “Fuck.” Her scent is intoxicating. “I love you so much.”

* * *

Rey winds her fingers through his hair, shuddering as she feels his breath ghost over the thatch of hair at her apex. This wasn’t something she had even considered, but Ben seems eager to taste her _there_ and who is she to—“ _Oh_ _._ Oh kriff.” 

Her grasp in his hair gets tighter as his tongue runs through her folds. And she thought his lips were soft when he was kissing her mouth. She leans back on the ledge, opening herself wider to him as he slides her legs over his shoulders. His stubble tickles her inner thigh, but she can’t laugh because what he’s doing with his mouth is so sinful.

“Ben,” she moans, hands wrapping around his arms as he holds her in place. He’s groaning into her and the vibrations go straight to her core.

He lifts his head for a second, mouth glistening with her and asks, “Is it—okay?”

“Fuck yes. More than okay.”

The incorrigible ass smiles before going back in, swirling around her clit with his tongue. She can barely take it, her thighs trembling around his head. She tries not to think about where he learned to do this and decides to send him some of her pleasure through the bond. 

He stops and looks at her again, eyes darkened with lust. “If you keep doing that, I’m going to come.”

“Then get back up here.” She’s starting to feel empty and needs to be filled.

He obeys, because of course he does, and starts to shimmy his pants off. When Rey sees his cock for the first time, her eyebrows shoot up. He looks suddenly shy. “What?”

“You’re just—so big. Are they all that big?” Granted, her experience is limited to what she’s seen in holos or by accident.

“I-I’m not sure.” His face reddens, and he’s so precious she can barely stand it.

“You’re beautiful, is what I mean.” She wraps her hand around his length gives him a few shallow pumps. “Like this?”

He nods and covers her hand with his own. “A little more pressure.” He shows her how he likes to be touched, his little puffs of breath becoming increasingly shallower. “Okay.”

She feels his trepidation through their bond and her brows furrow in confusion.

“I don’t—this is my first time so I might not last long.”

“That’s okay. Hey, we’ve got a long time to learn.” She kisses him again and guides him to her entrance, still dripping from before. 

It’s a tight fit, but Ben lets out a guttural noise as he slowly eases in. Rey gasps as she feels a pinching sensation, and he almost stops—but it fades almost instantly. She knows he can feel what she feels now, and she’s never felt so full. So complete.

He pushes into the hilt and they spend what feels like a lifetime just looking into each other’s eyes before he finally begins to move.

* * *

Ben sighs with something akin to relief—it feels like coming home, to finally be inside of her. To be one. The Force hums all around them as if approving of their union.

She is hot and slick and smooth, better than anything he could’ve imagined. It takes his full concentration not to come right then. He scoots her forward to the edge and rocks into her gently—in, out, repeat. His lips find her neck and he buries his face there, fingers gripping her ass for dear life as he fucks her.

It’s almost too much. Then she moans his name, “Ben,” and he’s gone. He can’t stop the way his hips stutter into her as he fills her with his sticky seed.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers to her shoulder.

“Don’t be. It felt so good.”

But a creeping shame starts to take over. He can’t leave her hanging. He drops back down, sliding out of her and using his fingers to push his come back in.

“Ben, what are you—oh!”

His mouth is on her again, and he tastes the salty mixture of his spend with her own juices. It makes him swell with pride to know he’s the only one who’s ever filled her like this. He sucks the swollen bundle of nerves at her apex and pushes two fingers inside her, resuming thrusting. Rey’s fingers find his hair again, nails scratching his scalp. 

He can feel her pleasure cresting through the bond and keeps up his relentless barrage. Something tells him to crook his fingers slightly, so he does that, encountering the spongy texture of her inner walls.

“Fuck!” Rey cries and then she tips over the edge, muscles contracting around his fingers, thighs quivering on either side of his face. He slows down but continues to lick her through the waves of euphoria that seem to be sweeping over her. She has to physically push him away when she’s too sensitive to take it anymore.

She’s still panting, breasts heaving from exertion, looking well and truly fucked. He’s never seen anything more beautiful. He sweeps her up into his arms and lays them both down on their discarded clothes. It’s not the most comfortable position, but it’s been a trying few days, and they fall asleep almost instantly.

* * *

When Rey’s eyes open it’s because of a shaft of sunlight is peeking in from one of the cracks in the stone. The storm has passed and though a few of the rocks have tumbled back down, their shelter is still relatively intact.

She is warm, Ben’s arms wrapped around her tight. Her one leg is between his, and she can feel that he is hard again pressed up against her backside. “Ben?” she mumbles.

“Mmm,” he hums into her skin. He kisses her shoulder.

 _This is what happiness feels like_ _,_ she thinks. The two of them together, regardless of where they are. She sighs contentedly and drags his hand from her middle down to her center.

He catches on quickly, stroking her slow and sweet. “You’re so wet.”

“Only for you,” she breathes, leaning back into him.

He grunts and hitches her thigh up so he can slide in from behind. The angle is different and she feels him hitting her in new places as he thrusts in deep.

“Ah,” she hisses a breath when he hits a spot that’s just on the right side of painful. “Keep going,” she orders when he pauses.

It isn’t long before he’s increasing speed, and the hand at her front rubs frantic circles into her clit. Her toes are curling and she feels as if she might burst from the tightly coiled pressure inside. Then she does—it’s explosive, the way she comes apart, tremors seizing her body as her back arches and Ben’s hand moves to her stomach to keep her still.

“Fuck, you feel so good.” His breath is against her ear, and he still pounds into her through her orgasm, each drag of him prolonging her climax. Finally, he finds release as well and stills as he spills into her.

She brings his hand to her mouth, kissing his knuckles. “ _That_ was incredible.”

When they say goodbye to their little shelter, it’s almost bittersweet. She’ll never forget this place. But they decide it’s best to head back to the beach and hope that if there are intelligent lifeforms on this planet, maybe someone will pass by in a ship and they can signal for help.

If nothing else, maybe they can make a raft and try their luck on the open sea.

* * *

Ben is amazed at the way the forest seems to part for them, a path opening up seemingly on its own. They arrive back on the beach before nightfall. “That was weird, right?”

Rey shrugs. “The Force works in mysterious ways.” She hasn’t been able to stop smiling—or touching him, not that he’s complaining.

“We should build a fire, that way any passing ships will be able to see the smoke.”

“Good idea.”

For whatever reason, Rey decides it’s a good idea for her to take up on a rock and “supervise” while he gathers wood. She also insists it’s only practical that he remove his shirt to do it. He rolls his eyes, but delights in the way her eyes rake over his form. He’s never felt even a bit sexy or handsome—but the way she looks at him, he’s starting to believe maybe he’s not the monster he always assumed he was.

When the pile of wood is high enough, she winks and ignites it with a quick burst of lightning from her fingertips. 

“Show off,” he teases.

“I’m sure you can do it now, too.”

It takes another day cycle before they see lights on the horizon. A large ship with a small crew of gray-skinned creatures anchor a little way off before sending a rowboat to shore. They speak Basic—thank the Force—and agree to take Ben and Rey to the nearest settlement, which is about a day’s journey by sea.

He stands against the railing of the ship, watching the island get smaller and smaller in their wake. The wind blows through his hair and he senses Rey come up behind him even before she slips her arm around his middle. Her energy is calm and happy—it relaxes him. “What happens when we get to the city?”

He looks over to see her not staring at their surroundings, but at him. “That depends on you, Ben. What would you like to do?”

“I don’t know.” No one’s ever asked him. He hasn’t had the chance to just think about what he wants out of life in so long. “I want to be with you.”

She laces their fingers together. “Well, that’s going to happen, no matter what. We’ll have to procure a ship, unless I contact the Resistance to come pick us up.”

His mouth tightens into a line, and he can practically feel the wrinkles in his forehead.

“Or we could just decide when we get there,” Rey offers, pushing up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

He releases the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Okay. That sounds like a plan.”

As the sun dips behind the island, Ben tightens his arm around the love of his life. He’s not sure what the future holds, but with Rey by his side, he knows whatever it is will be good.

**Author's Note:**

> It isn't specified, but I imaged the planet they crash land on is located in [The Redoubt](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Redoubt/Legends).
> 
> [Kril'Dor](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kril%27Dor)
> 
> [Force nexus](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Force_nexus)


End file.
